Chunin Exam Start!
Pencils down everyone Akane woke with a start and looked over at the other side of the bed. Yuri was sleeping soundly enough. It took Akane a moment to remember why she felt so jittery. Of course. The Chunin Exams were starting today. She slowly got out of bed, careful not to wake Yuri and began to get dressed. "If I can get promoted, I'll be that much closer to Onee-chan's rank." She came bounding down the stairs all dressed and sat down at the table. Ahatake was there, slightly bandaged and with one of his arms in a sling. "Hi Tou-san!" Akane greeted him. "Where's Onee-chan?" "In the kitchen." Ahatake said, pointing with his good arm. Indeed she was. The sweet smell of morning food could be inhaled through their noses. It wasn't surprising to see Michiyo come out with two plates of food, and even wearing an apron. "Hey!" She greeted. It had been a few weeks since they had come back from their final battle with Tenko and Michiyo had started seeing an awful lot of Gohan. "Morning Onee-san." Akane greeted her sister. "I've been dying to ask. Is this new cheerful mood because of your new boyfriend?" "Maybe." Michiyo admitted, setting the plate down in front of Akiko gently. She set the other one in front of her father. "Thanks Michiyo." Ahatake said, picking up his chopsticks. "Isn't he the one that moves like lightning?" Akane asked. "That's the one!" Michiyo grinned, nodding in affirmation as she took her own seat. "At that speed, you must be satisfied every night." Akane said, saying the exact same words her mother had used to tease Yumi. It was enough to make the elder girl laugh at her choice of words. Unlike her sister, she had little shame over such words, having gained her mother's devious personality. To hear them come from her younger sister was quite a refresher to her mind. "Such a mouth you've gained, imouto! But, such a stage hasn't been reached. We've only begun to know each other, after all." Gently, she took her own seat and slid perfectly into a comfortable position, eyes glancing down at the food. She did look a bit wistful, though - no matter how she did it, it never quite matched Chiaki's... Maybe she was getting some sort of inferiority complex. Akane pouted. Her sister had given a much to calm response to her provocation and it annoyed her. If Michiyo was anything like herself or Ahatake she would have gone off the edge. Akane ate her food quietly as Yuri walked downstairs, dressed in her normal school-girl outfit. The purple-haired beauty craned her head gently, untied locks swaying about her. When her eyes landed on the girl, she had to give what was to be her own look of amusement. "Well, Yue-''chan''. I didn't know you were still in school!" She commented. Yuri smiled for a moment but did not reply. "Yue-chan isn't much of a morning person." Akane explained. "Well, at least she smiled! Had it been a real grump, it would've been a different story..." She countered, raising a hand to motion towards the empty chair - or rather, another steaming plate of food. "Just in case you were hungry..." "Thanks." Yuri said, sitting down in front of the plate. "Itadakimasu." She said and started eating as well. It was almost as if they had gained a second sibling. As she began to eat, Michiyo had snuck glances at her out of curiosity. "Yue." She stated calmly. "Do you ever... I might have known this before, but... have your own house? I know you said your parents were killed..." "I do actually." Yuri said after swallowing her food. "Though it may be hard to believe, I am a Tenno. Or rather part Tenno anyway. So I do not live that far from here." Part Tenno. It was like a damn having broken through to her water-low mind, filling it with new information and theories. Her eyes widened, and her mouth would've went agape if it wasn't for her self-control. All this time, she had simply assumed the girl to be a wandering orphan, unrelated to the Tenno at all. But now, there was a reason for her to be actually staying at their home. She attempted to mask this shock quickly, putting on a smile and squinted eyes. "If you ever do go back... can we get a chance to visit you sometime?" She asked politely. "I mean, as much as you've been doing it to us, it'd only be fair." "Hm?" Yuri looked surprised. "Well, of course, but I'd have to clean the place. I haven't been there for awhile, so it must be dusty and disorganized." "Oh, don't worry." Michiyo assured with a wave of her hand. "I'd lend a hand to help you straighten it out, if you wanted." "I-I couldn't have you do that!" Yuri said, looking flustered. "It wouldn't be right to have you help me when all I do is sit around here!" Ahatake looked between them. This was an interesting discussion. This girl didn't have the aura of a Tenno, yet she had Tenno blood. What an interesting piece of information. Michiyo scoffed. "What nonsense. The birds chirping outside don't help me, either, flying everywhere and singing their songs. But when its wings are broken, a kind soul doesn't need something from that bird in order to help it. You don't need to do anything for us - we take care of our friends and family." Yuri's face turned a deep red that should have spread to her hair but it did not. "Thanks, Michiyo-san." She said as she and Akane set down their chopsticks. Michiyo mimicked their movements, her plate having been finished. With everything clear, she set her elbows on the table, chin resting on the back of her hands. "So, any plans for today?" She said, in an effort for a smooth change of topic. Akane faked an expression of mock hurt. "Onee-chan! You're supposed to prepare to watch my team get to the finals!! You and Tou-san!" "Oh?" Michiyo put a finger to her chin, an expression of feigning innocence. "I must've forgotten." She hadn't. Akane ignored this and grinned. "Seeya'll in awhile!" She grabbed Yuri's hand. "C'mon Yue-chan, we gotta go." She pulled Yuri out the door. Yuri looked at Michiyo and Ahatake with an expression akin to "Help Me". Ahatake laughed. "Such youth these days..." Michiyo gushed in a joking manner, propping one elbow on the table. Her face rested in one hand, a smile decorating her face. "Makes me feel jealous to be an older sister." Ahatake laughed. "Let's just get ready." ---- Yuri and Akane stopped running when they reached the hall that led to where they would start their exam. Their teammate and sensei should have arrived to greet them by now. And sure enough... "Hey!" The voice of their teammate Kaiya reached their ears, along with the sound of walking footsteps. Contrary to before, she was now wearing her "standard" shinobi uniform - a sleeveless, gray-brown, and Chinese shirt with a loin-cloth-like piece of clothing covering the upper extremeties. She had come well-equipped: a sword sheathed on her waist, a sheathed knife secured to her lower back, and a kunai holster wrapped around her left leg. She had come smart. Akane fingered her own sword and grinned. "Where'd you get the blade Kaiya?" "Tou-san crafted it for me in order to use." Kaiya replied, grinning back as she stopped in front of her two teammates. "I didn't really want to be carrying too much gear on me, but he insisted..." "Your father has good taste." Akane grinned. "Good to see everyone here." Karin walked into the hall. "Kaiya you going hunting?" "If it's in the exams!" Kaiya replied mirthfully. "Otherwise, I won't be touching a soul." Karin grinned. "So are you three ready?" Akane grinned and Yuri nodded, along with Kaiya. "Well step into that door." Karin instructed. "I won't be following you." With those words, Kaiya, at least, could assume that this was where their sensei's hand would leave her. It was up to them to decide now whether they passed or failed, their paths right in front of them. It would separate those who were worthy and those who were not of becoming a true ninja. Needless to say, she was quite confident. Without hesitation, and a nod towards her sensei, she was the first to push open the doors and step inside. Yuri and Akane followed her and they were shocked by what they saw. The area was packed with Shinobi from many other villages, though there was a fair shair of Konoha shinobi as well. "Whoah!!" Akane gasped. "Look at all the people." It was indeed a slew of shinobi gathered in the room, having gathered and discussing amongst themselves random things in order to ease the boredom while the proctors showed up. However, all of those shinobi had turned their eyes towards the new arrivals thanks to the Tenno's outburst. Dead silence was in the room. But all a surprised Kaiya said was "Oh, my..." as she put a hand to her mouth. Akane was not fazed however. "So what is this place do ya think anyway?" She asked anyone who would answer. "Oh, look. Fresh meat." "One of 'em's a Tenno." "I think that lead girl's trying to show her stuff, lookin' like that..." Dozens of whispers came from the crowd, her words having fallen upon deaf ears for the moment. Kaiya took it upon herself to turn to her teammate. "A waiting room. I see a desk up ahead of us, but it's empty... the proctors must haven't arrived." She said observantly.